With this in mind, BMW Motorrad have developed the BMW C evolution, which is a near-production prototype electric scooter, which is designed for commuter traffic between the suburbs and urban centres.

Five of these scooters are being tested in urban conditions.

The BMW C evolution has a powerful electric motor, which can achieve a maximum speed of 120 km per hour, and has impressive acceleration capabilities. The electric scooter also has a high performance ABS braking system.

The BMW C evolution electric scooter uses regenerative braking. The lithium-ion battery charges automatically when the rider coasts or brakes, which extends the scooter’s range by up to 20 percent depending on driving conditions.

The battery capacity gives it a range of up to 100 km which is more than enough for the average commuter. A completely flat battery can be charged in about three hours, via the integrated charging device, either using a regular household outlet or a charging station.

The electric scooter has a low centre of gravity, which makes it very easy to handle at slow speeds, which is a great benefit in urban traffic. It also handles motorway travel and overtaking manoeuvres very well even with a pillion passenger.

Acceleration is excellent. There are no delays in torque build-up at all as is typical with combustion engines due to the clutch engaging and disengaging.